
U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky, 19, won the 800m freestyle on Friday by a massive margin—more than 11 seconds—to beat her own world record and make history.
“Ledecky made a statement with each lap, pulling first half-a-body-length then a full body and finally, by the last lap, several lengths ahead,” TIME reported. (As seen in the photo above, she was well ahead of her nearest competitors during the race.)
This was Ledecky’s fifth medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and her fourth gold. Her final time, 8:04.79, was about two seconds ahead of her previous world record.
What’s next for the fastest swimmer in the world? Ledecky will head to Stanford University to start her freshman year of college.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Cybersecurity Experts Are Sounding the Alarm on DOGE
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Michelle Zauner Stares Down the Darkness
Contact us at letters@time.com